Jorge Bonilla Gutierrez admits guilt in fatal DWI incident that claimed young girl’s life
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Jorge Bonilla Gutierrez, an 18-year-old from Freeport, pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a drunken crash that killed a six-year-old girl in West Hempstead last August.
On the night of August 7, 2023, Gutierrez, heavily intoxicated, ignored a red light and slammed his vehicle into the back of a Toyota Corolla on Hempstead Turnpike. The impact sent the victim’s car careening into a tree, tragically ending the life of six-year-old Katerine Vanegas-Hernandez just two days before her seventh birthday.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced that Gutierrez entered his plea before Judge Terence Murphy to Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, two counts of Assault in the Third Degree, and Driving While Intoxicated Per Se. The defendant is expected to be sentenced to six to 12 years in prison on July 30, 2024, with the prosecution recommending a sentence of six to 15 years.
“Katerine Vanegas-Hernandez lost her life because of the reckless actions of an intoxicated driver,” DA Donnelly said. “This young girl’s death, among other tragic incidents on our roads last summer, underscores the devastating consequences of drunk driving.”
The crash occurred at approximately 2:20 a.m. on August 7, 2023. Gutierrez was speeding when he ran a red light and collided with the stationary Corolla, which had its hazard lights on. The force of the collision sent the Corolla off the road and into a tree, while Gutierrez’s Nissan Pathfinder flipped multiple times.
Katerine, who was in the rear driver’s side of the Corolla, suffered severe internal injuries and was rushed to NYU Langone Long Island Hospital, where she died shortly after. Her five-year-old brother sustained a fractured spine, and their mother, the driver of the Corolla, suffered multiple broken ribs.
Gutierrez was apprehended by Nassau County Police near the crash scene, where empty beer cans were found inside and around his vehicle. He was taken to Nassau University Medical Center with broken ribs and a broken nose. Investigators say a blood test conducted an hour after the crash revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.17%.
